The Just Right Home

Offers a guide to finding the perfect home, covering such topics as renting versus buying, mortgages, assessing neighborhoods, budgeting, evaluating a property's condition, and determining energy use and efficiency.

Thirty-seven million Americans move during any given year. Millions more think about it. They all want the same thing—a perfect place to live. But most of us have only the vaguest idea of what makes us happy, home-wise, and don’t even know all the questions to ask. That’s where Marianne Cusato comes in. One of the most influential people in the home-building industry, designer of the Katrina Cottages, and go-to authority for the media on issues related to housing, she’s written a comprehensive, interactive guide to finding the just right home. This is the book that answers the plea she hears every time she gives a speech—“I wish I’d talked to you before buying my house!” By leading the reader through every step of choosing a home—from the broad strokes, such as city vs. suburb and buy vs. rent, to specific details of energy use and building materials—The Just Right Home helps readers understand not only what they want in a home but what they need. It shows why proximity—to work, to stores, to schools—trumps location, and what the difference means. Why a property’s live-in value is greater than its resale value. How to identify and assess the big three variables: function, cost, delight. How to get a realistic grip on budget, including factoring in maintenance costs. How to plan for future needs—children moving out, a parent moving in, or just growing old in a home. Why all square feet are not created equal. The ins and outs of zonings, covenants, home-owner associations. The five elements to look for when walking through a property. How much to pay an inspector. And so much more. Filled with sidebars, boxes, examples, anecdotes, and cheat sheets, it’s the book that helps readers answer all their questions about where to live and what to live in.

“[A] much needed book both for homeowners who want a beautiful and well proportioned house and for the professionals who help them to realize that dream.” —Sarah Susanka, FAIA, architect and author of The Not So Big series and Home by Design Even as oversized McMansions continue to elbow their way into tiny lots nationwide, a much different trend has taken shape. This return to traditional architectural principles venerates qualities that once were taken for granted in home design: structural common sense, aesthetics of form, appropriateness to a neighborhood, and even sustainability. Marianne Cusato, creator of the award–winning Katrina Cottages, has authored and illustrated this definitive guide to what makes houses look and feel right—to the eye and to the soul. She teaches us the language and grammar of classical architecture, revealing how balance, harmony, and detail all contribute to creating a home that will be loved rather than tolerated. And she takes us through the dos and don’ts of every element of home design, from dormers to doorways to columns. Integral to the book are its hundreds of elegant line drawings—clearly rendering the varieties of lintels and cornices, arches and eaves, and displaying “avoid” and “use” versions of the same elements side by side. “This ‘Rosetta stone’ of design will guarantee Cusato a place in the history of twenty-first century American architecture.” —The Philadelphia Inquirer “[Cusato] provides a vision of how we live together and build on our planet, and points out the consequences of flawed building practices not only to our environment, but to our spirit and our soul.” —Michael Lykoudis, Dean, University of Notre Dame School of Architecture

From tween advocate for limb difference and founder of Project Unicorn Jordan Reeves and her mom, Jen, comes an inspiring memoir about how every kid is perfect just the way they are. When Jordan Reeves was born without the bottom half of her left arm, the doctors reassured her parents that she was “born just right.” And she has been proving that doctor right ever since! With candor, humor, and heart, Jordan’s mother, Jen Lee Reeves, helps Jordan tell her story about growing up in an able-bodied world and family, where she was treated like all of her siblings and classmates—and where she never felt limited. Whether it was changing people’s minds about her capabilities, trying all kinds of sports, or mentoring other kids, Jordan has channeled any negativity into a positive, and is determined to create more innovations for people just like her. Her most famous invention, aptly called Project Unicorn, is a special prosthetic (that shoots glitter!) made with the help of a 3-D printer. A real-life superhero, Jordan is changing the world with her foundation, Born Just Right, which advocates and celebrates kids with differences, and helps them live their best possible life—just like Jordan is today!

From the powerhouse couple behind the blog Probably This and #YourGayUncles, a comprehensive guide to living comfortably and beautifully on the cheap by and for millennials In Probably This Housewarming: A Guide to Creating a Home You Adore, Armato and Ciolino show you how to live your best, fullest, most beautiful life while dealing with all of the limitations that come with renting, working 40 hours—or more—a week, and having little-to-no disposable income. This fun, accessible guide is organized into three sections—Design, DIY, and Entertain—in the order you would naturally do them. First, you’ll learn to design your space to look just right, then you’ll find DIYs that will help add character and round out your home decor on a budget, and finally, you’ll get hosting tips for when your home is ready for entertaining. Whether you need help picking out a paint color, refurbishing vintage furniture, or mixing a batch of cocktails that slap, Matt and Beau are here to help transform your house (or apartment) into a home. A no-nonsense introduction to homemaking written by and for millennials, Probably This Housewarming is all about embracing your true self in your home design, guiding readers to create a space that reflects their personality and fits their individual needs. And as your needs grow and expand with every new place you call home, this book will be there for you every step of the way. Full of charm and humor, Probably This Housewarming is a charismatic and comprehensive guide to making any house a home.

Migizi loves his Gookom. Can he find the perfect gift to show her how much?

In rhyming text, the Construction crew find sweet Valentine's Day messages all over their site.

It is a big adventure for Rivkie and her family to move into an empty new house. Soon the moving truck arrives. The furniture, carpets, plants, toys and clothes all get put away in their respective places, and the family starts to feel at home.That is - until Rivkie discovers that something is missing. She leads everyone into each room determined to make everything "just right." By working together, the whole family helps to put in place all the important, familiar objects that turn an ordinary house into a special Jewish home. Small children will enjoy seeing Shabbos candlesticks in the dining room, Jewish books in the den, tzedakah boxes in the kitchen, and Chanukah menorahs in the living room. When everything seems just right, Rivkie insists that something is still missing. Finally, they all help put up the mezuzahs to finish transforming their new house into a real Jewish home.